Stand By Me
by drewsapaloosa
Summary: "I had to hear it from Potter. He was strutting around just before I came up here, saying you and him had a 'lustful' and 'secretive' rendezvous just moments ago." Lily and James in their seventh year and how things unravel.


**Author's Note: Hey guys! I haven't written a fic in a while, so thanks for possibly reading this if you come across it and decide to! I'm going to be updating this weekly most likely. I'm on a real Harry Potter shtick. Wasn't the 8th movie so good? I cried numerous times... Yikes. Oh well, anyway, thanks for reading guys! Always means so much to me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the characters, etc.**

I woke up with a bolt of scarce that raged through my body. Shivering, I calmed myself down and slid out of my bed. I was about to start my morning routine that I had been doing for the past six years on September 1st. But, I couldn't help but feel that there was a different sensation I was feeling. Perhaps it was that my vision was thrown off by my droopy eyelids, or maybe that I hadn't found my balance yet, but I knew deep down, it was neither. I was a Seventh Year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And I had made Head Girl.

As I looked at myself disapprovingly in the mirror, - there had been a small crustation around my mouth, which was most likely dried drool - I let my thoughts run, remembering a wonderful afternoon only last month.

It was late July, and I remember waking up to a peculiar sound. A scream. It wasn't a scream that worried me, though, because it wasn't out of pain or anger. The noise had come from my mother, and she was exclaiming just down the hall that my Hogwarts supplies list had arrived. What I didn't know, is that she wasn't screaming over my supplies list. My mother was only excited about the piece of parchment attached to the back.

"Lily!" She was tapping on my door, I remember. Her knuckles were tapping eagerly, and she kept on yelling, "Lily! Lily! Your H-Hogwarts letter! Lily, oh Lily, please wake up! Lily I'm so excited! Lily, come see!"

Instantly, I had gotten up and thrown the door open. My mother greeted me by throwing her arms around me. I'll never get used to how good that feels, you know, having her arms around me. It's the most comforting in so many inexplicable ways. When she let go, I asked, "Mom, what is it?"

She only smiled at me and from behind her, she pulled out the two different pieces of parchment. My mother made it clear for me to only read an individual passage from the second piece. "Look, Lily!" She told me, giggling wildy. "You've made Head Girl!"

And that's how I found out I made Head Girl. I remember when my mother and I announced it to my Father and Sister. My Dad, of course, was always supportive. However, my sister, Petunia, didn't necessarily like this. She would avoid me most summers, and this just gave her another reason to sneer at me with disgust. But if that's how she was going to be, I couldn't stop her. No matter how much I loved her, nothing would change her feelings. I was nothing more than a freak.

Right, back to today. I continued to search my face in the mirror. I had grown a few pimples, my lips were dried and chapped, but altogether I looked fair. As I combed the tangles out of my red hair, I wondered for many moments as to who the Head Boy could be. I bet it was Remus. I could only hope. Remus, out of the rest of his friends at Hogwarts, was the most intellectual being I had ever crossed. A feeling of hopefulness and happiness waved over me for a split-second as I pictured Remus and I getting to know each other moreso, and even befriending one another.

Even if it wasn't Remus, God forbid the Head Boy would be some _scoundrel_.

My clock read 9:30 A.M. and that was when I realized I was incredibly late. With a few flicks of my wand, - I could have packed my muggle clothes, but I had gotten used to the advantage of being able to use magic freely once you become 17 years old - I managed to pack my robes, my school-books, some accessories and whatever else I could fit, into my brown trunk. With another flick, I withdrew some muggle clothing from my drawers and dressed myself.

**X X X X X X **

The drive to King's Cross felt longer than usual, so I was pleased as punch when we finally arrived. Tucking a loose lock of hair behind my ear, I casually exited my car. I noted that there are few things I am bad at, and lying is one of them. I wasn't feeling particularly casual. I was feeling absolutely wonderful and I wanted _everyone_ to notice - I didn't mean to, but I had been thoroughly broadcasting my love for the wizarding world, and Petunia seemed quite displeased.

My mother, whose face was already streaked with silver tears, didn't want to let me out of her arms. Comforting, but at this time I was a bit impatient. She and my father took turns hugging me, kissing me, whilst Petunia stood in the background the entire time, glaring at me with fury.

For the final time, I bid my parents good-bye with one final hug. When I caught eyes with Petunia, however, I felt my stomach topple. My lips formed into a wry smile and I lifted my hand upward to wave. "Bye, Tuney."

I knew I wouldn't be receiving a response the minute the words rolled off my tongue. So before my mother could grasp me once more for another series of hugs, I trotted offward.

Quickly, I strolled over to the barrier between Platform 9 and Platform 10. My pacing fastened into a jog, which fastened into a speedy run. And as I gradually got closer and closer to the barrier, I shut my eyes and pulled my trunk along bravely.

"Yes!" I cheered, taking a quick look around. I had made it through the barrier without any difficulty, which was always a plus. And, I had 10 minutes to spare before the train left. I was on my game.

Friends of mine and other students of Hogwarts all busily hurried away before me, until Platform 9 and 3/4 was quite bare. A lot of the students had most likely run off to get a good seat, but I wasn't to worry. I was going to be sitting with the Heads in our own special compartment, right at the front of the train.

"Lily? Hey, are ya coming?" I heard a very close male voice, and to say the least, I was a bit startled. The voice was coming from behind me, so I whirled around in an instant. "Hey, are you alright there? You're looking a bit pale."

It was Remus. Before my eyes stood a tall, lanky, sandy-haired boy with bright blue eyes. He tossed me a half smile and I returned it. "Yes, I'm alright." I stirred, retreating to my thoughts. _Thanks for interrupting,_ a part of me wanted to tell him.

"Well, I'm glad. See you on the train, then."

"Wait, Remus!" I grabbed his arm before he could leave my side, I had forgotten that I had something to ask him.

"What is it, Lily? I kind of need to go get a seat," At this time, I understood. Remus couldn't be Head Boy, not if he was worried about getting into a compartment.

"So, you're not Head Boy?" I _always_ made sure of things. If something was foggy for me, my whole day would be thrown off. And, who wants that?

"No, and I haven't a clue who is. Wait, are you Head Girl? Bloody Hell, congratulations! Anyway, I gotta go. Right. Train. Y'know? A seat. Right. Okay, bye!"

Remus ducked past me and with that, he was gone.

I then decided that with only a few minutes until the train left, it was best that I got adjusted into the Heads' compartment myself. Lugging my trunk onto the Hogwarts Express, my eyes danced over everything. The First Years, who were smitten with glee. A Quidditch player, who I reckoned was on the Ravenclaw team if I remember correctly, was tossing around a golf ball in the corridor. The train was ridden with new students, new feelings, and the sense of a brand new year lingering.

With all the leftover strength in my body, I was able to enter the Heads' compartment and throw my trunk above. And that was when I realized that I was completely alone. Not that I minded, however. I deal quite well with solitaire scenarios. Just as I was about to sit down, the compartment door slid open.

"Evans," I heard a boy drawl, and instantly, I knew who it was. It was that idiot Potter boy. But why, _someone please tell me why,_ was he in the Heads' compartment?

"Excuse me, Potter," I interjected, before he could say anything terribly offensive.

James Potter was an arrogant, foul young man with no sense of what was right and what was wrong. He hexed and pranked, wasted his time, and took nothing seriously. There was no one I despised more. And I hoped to Merlin that he being in the Heads' compartment was one of his jokes.

"But _why_ are _you_ of all people, in _here_?"

"Thanks, Evans. Real nice. I'm the Head Boy, for a matter of fact."

"No," I told him. I wouldn't have for it. Was Dumbledore _smoking_ something? Was he off his rocket? What was _happening_? "No," I repeated. I gaped at him with confused eyes, watching as his lips curled into a sly smirk. I wanted to smack it off his face.

He chortled a bit, before he fully entered the compartment along with his trunk. With one strong lift, he put his things next to mine. I growled angrily. "Hey, I'm not so bad," He offered, taking the seat in front of me.

"Potter, don't even _start_."

"I've matured quite a lot, Lilyflower." He stretched out before me, and reached for something deep within his pockets. That _stupid_ nickname. Lilyflower? My name wasn't _Lilyflower_. My eyes continued to scan over him with curiosity and irritation as he continued to dig around. He was wearing his robes already, but the sleeves had been rolled up. I didn't mean to, but my eyes automatically fleeted to the muscle on his working arm. I found myself gawking, completely impressed. Apparently Quidditch was treating him well.

I quickly hung my head as he withdrew a wrinkled piece of parchment. "I took the time and uh, what is the word I'm looking for? Uh, right. Effort? Yeah, loads of time and effort. I made the schedule? For the Prefects and for the Heads!"

He said this all very fast, and I only continued to look at him with my jaw hanging wide open.

"If you sit with your face like that too long, you're gonna get all stuck. Then we'll have to take you to the Hospital Wing." He snickered at my embarrassment, for a horrible shade of pink crept upon my cheeks when I realized my expression. "Anyway, here. Read it. I hope it all fits. I think it does, I looked it over a bit."

When he first handed me the parchment, I didn't want to look. Only because I expected some pornographic image to be drawn on it or an invitation for me to go out with him. Both things disgusted me equally.

My eyes _absorbed_ the paper. There was no gruesome drawing nor any _"You wanna go out?"_. There was a schedule. Merlin's Pants! James Potter took initiative! As I became quite distracted with the paper, I heard him calling me.

"Lilyflower? Hey? Is it any good?"

"I will give you five sickles if you stop calling me Lilyflower," I spat.

"Never. What about the schedule?"

"I thought we would have had to slave over this today," I admitted sheepishly.

He grinned. "Yeah, me too. That's why I did it. I thought we could just enjoy the ride, y'know? It's our last year. I didn't want a bunch of stress on the first day."

I crossed my arms over my chest in disbelief, scoffing at him. "It's bloody unlikely you've _ever_ had an ounce of stress in your life."

"Hey, want me to take that parchment back?" Potter took a swipe for it, but I kept it safe in my hands. "Evans, I demand my schedule back. Right. _Now._" I watched his face turn a deep red from playful anger.

"No. It's a good schedule, Potter. I'm pleasantly surprised."

"Thanks, Lily." And for the first time ever, he gave me a real smile. Something about it seemed sincere. I attempted to smile back, but a voice in the back of my head stopped me. _Don't fall for his tricks, Lily. _

I was relieved completely once the Prefects and the other Head Boys and Girls began to file into the compartment. Potter kept a steady eye on me throughout the meeting, his brown eyes swimming with determination from beneath his glasses.

At least he could keep his concentration. I, however, wasn't as good with the other students. Potter was easy with his speaking and was able to dish out how the schedule was going to go. When it was my turn to talk, I only managed a few words at a time, spewing random nonsense. Perhaps it was because something was pestering me.

Potter had called me Lily.

Not Evans, not Lilyflower.

Lily.

I knew dealing with him as Head Boy would be a strenuous difficulty, but maybe he _had_ matured, just like he said. But what were the odds? James Potter, maturing?

But still, he had called me Lily. Did I have to start calling _him_ by his first name, too? Ugh.

**X X X X X X **

The feast was delicious, as it always was. I sat beside my closest friend since first year, Marlene. She was a sweetheart, even if she was a little crazy at times. We were the very definition of opposites. While I was very studious and believed that grades _did_ matter a whole deal, Marlene liked to sneak liquor into the dorms and kiss every boy around her. But, still, we had a crazy love for each other. We kept one another grounded. I couldn't ask for a better friend - though she _was _gossipy at times.

But on my first day back, the feast wasn't what I was looking forward to. I was most excited about the Heads' Common Rooms and dormitories. I had heard such wonderful things from previous Head Girls that they were absolutely _glorious_.

If it was _any_ better than the Gryffindor Common Room and dormitories, I was going to be a happy camper.

And it was. It was _beautiful_ and it was _marvelous_. The Common Room was everything I imagined and more. There were beautiful curtains draped around each window, the moonlight behind it desperately seeking to peak in. The floor was entirely made of marble, in perfect square marbles. Each corner of the extravagant room had either a comfortable looking chair, a couch, a bookcase, or a table of some sort in it. But on the far wall, dead center, there was a fireplace that had already been lit. The fire was alive, its flames definitely adding heat to wretchedly cold marble floors.

The charm of the Common Room had won me over, but I still wondered about the Head Girls' dormitories. I hope that they were just as lovely. As I turned around, passing by one of the comfiest looking chairs I had ever endured, I bumped into someone large and broad.

"Bloody He- Oh, hi Lilyflower. Where're you off to?" _Potter_. Why was my destination always his concern?

"The Girls' Dormitories. I suppose you'd like to come with. Considering, y'know, you're a girl?"

James Potter scoffed, and one of his hands began to run through the front of his hair. He looked absolutely pathetic. What was he trying to do, primp?

"Very funny, Lily. I was only heading down from the Boys' one, myself. It's really cool, you'll like it if they're any alike."

_What?_ Why was he being so nice? Why was he smiling at me like that? I knew myself to be a little paranoid sometimes, but... this was _Potter_. There had to be a catch.

"Thanks," I muttered eerily, before walking up the rest of the steps, leaving him behind me. As I pulled open the door, I realized that Potter had been right if the Boys' dormitories looked anything like this one. I stepped in, closing the door behind me. It was heavenly. It was attractive. It was classy.

A weary numbness weaved through me as I noted that I wouldn't be spending much time in the Head Girls' dormitory. I had, during the feast, mentioned to Marlene that I would spend most nights with her in the Gryffindor dormitories, unless there was a circumstance.

**X X X X X X **

Later that night, after I discovered the wonderful Heads' Common Room, I ventured on to the Gryffindor Tower. I loved the familiarity of it, though it just wasn't the same as the Heads' Common Room. I missed it already, it seemed. I moved to the Girls' dormitories, and I was thrilled to see that Marlene was just unpacking her things. I gave her a quick wave before summoning my trunk. I must have left it in the Entrance Hall before the feast.

"Lils, where were you?" She asked perkily, though I heard an ounce of innocence in her voice. Had I hurt Marlene's voice?

I took the empty bed beside Marlene and also began to unpack. Lifting a book and placing it under my bed, I chewed hard on my bottom lip. "Merlin, I'm sorry. Didn't I tell you? I went to the-"

"_Heads' Common Room._"

She finished my sentence for me. "How did you know? Why did you ask if you already knew?"

"Truth be told, I had to hear it from Potter. He was strutting around just before I came up here, saying you and him had a '_lustful_' and '_secretive_' rendezvous just moments ago. Did you finally give into him, or something? You'd think to even tell me?"

I continued to stare at her wide-eyed. What in the _world?_ All I could make out was a huge gasp. I didn't deal well with rumors being spread about me. And the fact that _Potter_ had been spreading them? To my best friend? Maybe that was why he was being so damn nice. He took responsibility for once and I chose to believe he had truly changed. "He lied," I choked out, figuring those were the only appropriate words to come up with without cursing madly. I didn't like cursing much, but... _when push comes to shove_...

"Oh, well, I'm sorry I believed him."

"Eugh, me too." Marlene and I caught glances for a moment and started to giggle a bit. It was silly, how she believed such a rumor. And how I had gotten so flustered by it.

We both finished putting away our things when we decided it was time to get some sleep. We'd be getting our timetables tomorrow, and we wouldn't want to be late. Marlene and I both got settled deeply into our beds, heading off for a good night's sleep.

I took out my wand briefly, swished it once, and instantly, the flame of every candle had gone out.

Before drifting off into a heavy sleep, I took a brief look at how my day went. It wasn't so bad, was it? Apart from being paired up as Head Girl with a moronic bastard, I'd say it was a pretty wonderful start to my 7th and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

If only Marlene would quit snoring...

**Author's Note: Hope you guys liked it! What would you guys like to see happen next? Give me some suggestions. :) **

**Oh and, reviewing makes me write faster! **


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